PEORIA -- The Peoria Rivermen were felled twice last weekend by the Louisiana IceGators.

But Peoria rode goaltender Kyle Rank's 43-save performance to a 2-1 victory in an SPHL rematch Friday before 4,308 at Carver Arena.

"That is a veteran team, and it was frustrating to drop a 1-0 game down there last weekend," said Rank, the league's No. 1-ranked goaltender. "We had an axe to grind tonight. To come out and play like that was important for us."

The Rivermen won their eighth straight at home and climbed into a fourth-place tie while snapping second-place Louisiana's five-game road win streak.

Peoria got a rare power play goal -- the game-winner from Garrett Vermeersch -- and terrific supporting cast outings from wingers Steve Morra and Dean Yakura, while defenseman Joe Schiller returned from injured reserve to chip in with two assists.

"They (Louisiana) know what they are doing over there," said Rank, after posting his 11th outing of the season with one goal or fewer allowed. "Every shot they take has a purpose. You could tell coming into the third period they were going to bring the pressure at us.

"But our defense did a great job clearing, our centers controlled the corners and we got it done."

The Rivermen took a 1-0 lead at 1:24 of the second period when Yakura took Morra's feed from the right corner and sent a snap shot from above the right hashmarks past the glove of goaltender Kiefer Smiley.

Louisiana sniper Adam Stuart, fourth in the SPHL scoring race, missed an open net from the left circle at 4:55 when his shot hit the post and stayed out. But the Gators pressed on and tied it 67 seconds later on a goal from Jordan Braid.

The Rivermen power play ran its scoreless streak to 19 straight chances before Vermeersch ripped a one-timer from the right circle past Smiley's blocker for the winner at 8:09.

"They are a smart, top team," Schiller said. "That's a great win for us. But it's one win. We need more."

Peoria earned a five-on-three power play for a full two minutes with 2:20 left in the second period, but could not add to its lead, managing just one shot on goal.

The Rivermen penalty-kill unit blocked three shots during a Gators advantage midway through the third period. Peoria dodged one last threat in the final 61 seconds when -- with Smiley off for an extra attacker -- Rivermen winger Matt Viola gave up the puck along the boards in the neutral zone.

"The first few minutes of the third, we didn't give them anything," Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel said. "We knew they would come at us. That's a really strong team over there, and it was important for us to react well. We're building a team now for the playoffs, and we have to be able to play tight games like this."

Page 2 of 2 - RIVER READINGS: The Rivermen Alumni Association, which staged the Blues-Blackhawks Alumni charity game for tornado relief in mid-January, presented a check from the event for $50,000 to the Salvation Army before the game. ... Rivermen hosted Louisiana at Carver Arena for the first time since March 2, 2003 in the ECHL, a 3-1 loss to Gators. ... Rivermen defenseman Joe Schiller returned to action after spending 30 days on IR. ... Newly-signed 6-foot-5 defenseman Ben Oskroba made his pro debut Friday.

Dave Eminian covers the Rivermen for the Journal Star. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.